Bunch-carrier for cigar and cheroot machines.



J. E. NORQUEST. BUNCH CARRiER FOR CIGAR AND CHEROOT MACHINES. APPucATloN FILED JULY 23, 1917.

L@ mme. Jan. 8,1918.

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APPLICATION FILED JULY 23| l9l7.

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1. Ev. NORQUEST. BUNCH CARRIER FOR CIGAR AND CHEROOT MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JULY 23, i917.

- Patented Jan. 8,1918.

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gwvenIo/c' asien JOHN E. NORQEST, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO P. LORILLARD COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BUNCH-CARRIER FOR'CIGAR AND CHEROOT MACHINES.

Application led July 23, 1917.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. NoRQUnsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bunch-Carriers for Cigar and Cheroot Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in cigar and cheroot machines of the general type shown in U. S. Letters Patent to Oluf Tyburg, No. 654,203, dated July 24, 1900 and No. 1,075,172, dated October 7, 1913. In machines of this class a wrapper is first eut, then transferred to a wrapping mechanism in which a bunch has been automatically placed and the wrapped bunch, constituting the cigar or cheroot, is wrapped by the last mentioned mechanism and then automatically transferred to a 'delivery point by an automatic bunch carrier. In operation, this automatic bunch carrier places the bunch er other material to be wrapped in the wrapping mechanism, and also removes the wrapped product from the wrapping mechanism, and my invention has particular application to improvements in this automatic carrier for bringing the bunch to and taking the wrapped cigar or cheroot from the wrapping mechanism. As at present constructed, and in its arrangement relative to the coperating parts of the machine, certain disadvantages are incident to the ordinary automatic bunch carrier for performing the functions above mentioned.

Eriefiy, and in general, the well known form of bunch carrier includes a horizontally disposed arm fastened at one end to a vertical shaft which is intended to swing the arm back and forth in the arc of a circle, or between the bunch supplying conveyer and the wrapping mechanism, the free end of this arm terminating in an enlarged head which is provided with two sets of retaining devices, one setbeing arranged to transfer the bunch to be wrapped to the wrapping mechanism and the other to re move the wrapped product therefrom. These retaining devices usually embody gripping fingers which are closed and opened at predetermined times to seize and release the bunch, or the cigar, as the case may be. Such fingers are usually actuated through Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, i918.

Serial No. 182,286.

spaced arms or stops supported above the bed of the machine, but separate from the bunch carrier itself, and owing to their construction and the function they must perform, present an exceedingly inconvenient and even dangerous arrangement, because it frequently happens that an operator will have her hand caught or pinned between the swinging carrier head and these operating stops or arms, this resulting in the liability of, and frequently in serious injury to the hand. Furthermore, the swinging carrier head naturally moves to a position above, or close to the bunch supplying conveyer in taking the bunches and in placing finished or wrapped cigars thereon, and often times the operator, reaching into the space between this conveyer and the moving bunch carrier, will have the hand caught, or pinned between the carrier head and the conveyer, or parts of the machine adjacent thereto; this also usually causing seriousI injury or mutilation of the hand of such operator. As above stated, this bunch carrier is swung by a vertical rock shaft, and so far as I am aware up to the time of my invention, no means have been provided for automatically stopping the bunch carrier in the case of an emergency, as when an operators hand is accidentally caught by the bunch carrier and an adjacent part of the machine; it being necessary at the present time to manually disconnect or throw off the power mechanism er some part thereof.

Another disadvantage incident to the usual construction and arrangement of a bunch carrier is that it and its eo-acting parts take up considerable space, and present a complicated, involved construction.

It is my purpose to obviate the above mentioned disadvantages by so constructing my bunch carrier and its co-acting parts that in case an operator-s hand is accidentally caught between such carrier and an adjacent part of the machine, such carrier will be automatically and instantly disconnected from its own actuating or power mechanism, thereby coming to a stop and preventing the mutilation, for instance, of the hand of an operator.

Futhermore, I have greatly simplified the construction of the bunch carrier and its operating parts and have reduced the space occupied thereby, especially the width of the space taken by the actuating devices for the bunch and cigar retaining devices of the carrier head.

Another object of my invent-ion is to provide a bunch carrier which will embody the desired features of simplicity, efficiency and reliability, and which will operate positively and for long and continuous periods without necessitating reconstruction or repair.

Vith the above recited objects and others of a similar nature in view, my invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings,-

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a bunch carrier embodying my invention and showing the same in conjunction with certain related parts of the machine, such as the bunch support or conveyer.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the bunch carrier including a bunch carrying arm and head with its retaining devices and the swinging cam plate.

Fig. 3 is a. top plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the swinging cam plate.

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the swinging cam plate.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the spring latch plate for connect-ing the bunch carrier arm to the vertical rock shaft for swinging the bunch carrier.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the operating end of the cam plate.

Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the guide arm intended to guide the wrapped cigars to and from their retaining devices at the head.

Fig. 11 is a detail perspective view of the top portion of the vertical tubular standard to which the vertical rock shaft extends and showing spaced operating stops for limiting the swinging movement of the cam plate.

F ig. 12 is a cross sectional view on the line 12-12 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the letter A. indicates the tubular supporting postor standard, while B is the usual bunch or cigar carrying conveyer or support located adjacent thereto, merely herein conventionally and partially illustrated, as is also the lifting device C therefor. The upper end of the standard A is formed with a collar 1 over which loosely fits the bored end 2 of the swinging cam plate A. vertical rock shaft 4 which constitutes the operating shaft for the bunch carrier is housed by the sleeve A and project-s above the latter and loosely receives the collar 5 at the end of the bunch carrier arm 6, this collar 5 seating upon the end 2 of the cam plate 3. Thus, it will be not-edthat instead of making the bunch carrier arm fast with the operating shaft 4, both this arm and the cam plate are looselymounted, and in order to connect the same in operative relation with the shaft, or to be swung by Y the latter, I provide a spring latch plate 7, which lies above the collar 5 of the carrier arm, and is made fast with the shaft 4 in any suitable manner, such Aas by a nut 8, the outer end of this latch 7 carrying a locking dog 9 having a recess 10 which is adapted to grip the top edge of the vertical web 11 of the carrier arm 6, the sides of this dog being oppositely beveled as at 12. From this arrangement it will be Y understood that under ordinary working conditions, the

latch plate will connect the carrier arm with I and the latter will of course stop its swing- -ing movement, although the shaft 4 may continue to rock. The bevel sides of the dog of course permit the web of the bunch carrier arm to be easily swung back into connection again with the latch. As the bunch carrier arm 6 is swung back and forth by the shaft' 4, the cam plate 3 will also swing therewith to a limited degree, the path of movement of this cam plate being determined in one direction by the adjustable stop pin 13 carried by the lug 14V at one side of the post A, andl in the other direction by the similar adjustable stop pin 13 carried by the lug 14 at the opposite side of the post A, as more clearly shown in Fig. 11. rIhis swinging movement ofthe plate 3 with the bunch carrier arm 6 is obtained by the depending stud l5 soclreted in the under side of the bunch carrierzarm 6 and having its free end projecting downward between a pair of bars 16 pivoted as at 17 on top of the cam plate 3, a relatively strong coil spring 18 connecting these two bars intermediate their ends, as shown in Fig. 6, andV normally tending to draw the free ends of the bars toward each other.

In Fig. 3, one side edge of the cam plate 3 is shown in contact with the vstop pin 13, the cam plate having been swung withthe bunch carrier arm to this position by reason of the stud and bar connection between the cam plate and arm just described. Of course the pin 13 will prevent any further swinging movement of the cam plate, aswill be understood by reference to Fig. 6, but

the shaft 4 will continue the swinging of the bunch carrier arm, the spring 18 expanding as the arm 16 rocks on its pivot 17 by the side pressure of the stud 15 against the bar. Likewise, the same action will take place when the bunch carrier arm and the cam plate swing in the opposite direction or toward the stop pin 13. In other words, while the swinging of the camy plate is limited by the stops 13 and 13', the bunch carrier arm may swing beyond these limits owing to the pivoted and spring tensioned mounting of the bars 16. On the return movement of the bunch-carrying arm toward the center of the cam plate, these bars 16 tend to center the stud 15 or to cause the parts to occupy the position shown in Fig. 6.

At the free end of the bunch carrier arm 6 is the bunch carrier head 19, which is formed at its rear end with a down-turned iange 20 and at its front with a downturned bifurcated flange 21, this head carrying the retaining devices for the bunches and the cigars, and also the guide for the cigars, which guide is best shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 10. This guide comprises a wire or metal rod 22, one end of which is journaled as at 23 to the front end of the web 11, shown in Fig. 3, this rod then extending longitudinally in rear of the other head, is journaled as at 24 at the rear end of the head and terminates at its rear end in a crank 25, which projects between the segmental cam blocks 26 and 26, fastened to the top of the cam plate 3 adjacent the front arcuate edge thereof. The confronting ends of these blocks 26 and 26 are spaced apart and oppositely beveled as shown at 27 and 27 respectively, these cam blocks being intended to actuate the crank end of the rod 22 so as to swing the curved guide arm 28 up an down in an arc, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 3 and 4, this guide arm being adjustably mounted on the rod 22 by means of the set screw 30, and is tensioned by a coil spring 31 mounted about the rod and connected at one end with the guide arm, as shown at 32, and at its opposite end fastened to the body of the head as shown at 33 in Fig. 5. The cam blocks 26 and 26 coact with this crank actuated guide arm 28 to guide the wrapped cigars, that is to say, when a wrapped cigar is being taken by its retaining device, as hereinafter described, this arm will be swung downward to prevent the cigar being thrown outward or dislodged, and when the wrapped cigar is being discharged from its retaining device, this guide arm will move inward and guide the cigar downward onto its proper place on the carrier or conveyer 3, the arm occupying its outward or inoperative position when the crank is between the cam blocks 26 and 26.

The head 19 carries the bunch-retaining and transferring device, indicated as an entirety by the letter D and also the cigar retaining and transferring device indicated as a whole by D. The bunch carrying device comprises a longitudinally extending inclined shaft 34, one end of which is jour` naled as at 35 in the jaw section 36 of the front fiange of the head, while the rear end of this shaft extends through the jaw section 3T of the rear flange of the head, the rear free end of the shaft 34 carrying a short lug 38 extending at right angles tot the shaft. The shaft 34 has also mounted thereon an arcuate finger 39 located adjacent the jaw 36, the second arcuate finger 40 arranged adjacent the jaw 37, these lingers turning with the shaft to open and close on the bunch. Likewise, the cigar retaining device D comprises a longitudinally extending inclined shaft 34 journaled at its forward end as at 35 in the jaw section 36 of the front flange of the head and at rear end this shaft 34 projects through the upper portion of the jaw section 37 of the rear flange of the head, these jaw sections 36 and 37 of the head being concave, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft 34 carries the arcuate fingers 39 and 40 arranged adjacent the jaw sections 36 and 37 respectively, and these fingers are adapted of course to open and close on the wrapped cigars. The rear end of the shaft 34 is also formed with a small lug 38 similar to but offset or arranged in staggered relation to the lug 38 at the end of the shaft 34. Of course by causing the shafts 34 and 34 to turn, the fingers 39 and 40 and 39 and 40 will be correspondingly operated or opened and closed. At the forward end of the head and in the bifurcation thereof is a pin 41, and a coil tension spring connection 42 extends between this pin and the finger 39, and a similar coil spring 43 also extends between this pin 41 and the finger 39. These springs are used to tension the retaining devices, in the sense that when the shafts 34 and 34 are rocked or turned to throw their respective lingers over or past a dead center these springs will retain the ngers in such position until the shafts are again operated to turn the fingers in reverse direction, when the springs will act to hold the fingers in such second position after the dead center has been passed. In other words, this well understood mechanical arrangement of the springs is simply for the purpose of holding the fingers in a position to which they have been moved by rocking them in either direction. rlhe shafts 34 and 34 of the retaining devices D andv D are actuated or rocked by cams located on the under side of the cam plate 3, as will be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

Considering` Figs. 1 and 2, in the machine as actually constructed, the cigar retaining device D having as a part thereof the guide frame, faces the wrapping mechanism, while the bunch-retaining device D faces the conveyer, the entire bunch carrier of course swinging in an arc or path between the wrapping mechanism and the conveyer, as is well understood in machines of this class. As the bunch-carrying arm swings over the conveyer to pick up a fresh bunch and deliver a wrapped cigar, the bunch-retaining device D is operated by rocking the shaft 34 to close the bunch-carrying fingers 39 and 40 presented by the conveyer, a segmental cam strip 44, on the cam plate 3, being employed for this purpose. It will be seen that the sweep of the bunch carrier head over the cam plate 3 after the latter has been brought to a stop at the limit of its swinging movement, will cause the lug 38 at the end of the shaft 34 to contact with the cam 44 to close the fingers, grip the bunch and remove the latter from the conveyer to the wrapping mechanism with the travel of the arm. At the same time when the cigar retaining device D is positioned over the conveyer ready to deliver a cigar, which we may assume is vclamped by the closed fingers 39 and 40',

the cam-toe 47, in the present instance an integral part of the cam 44, will strike the lug 3S at the end yof the shaft 34 and rock the lug so as to open the cigar retaining iingers 39 rand 40, and release the cigar to permit the latter to drop onto the conveyer,

the guide arm 28 having been moved inward and downward into operative or guiding position to drop the cigar to its proper place of rest on the conveyer'. Likewise, when the carrier head has been brought into position above the wrapping mechanism by the swinging` of the arm 6, the cam plate 3 having been brought to a stop, the continued movement of the arm 6 will cause the now opened cigar retaining fingers 39 and 40 to be closed because the lug 38at the end of the shaft 34 will Contact with the segmental cam plate 46, rocking the shaft 34 to close the fingers about the wrapped cigar at the wrapping mechanism, the guide arm 28 again being lowered into guiding position to prevent the escape of a cigar and to guide the same properly to the fingers as they close. The head now continuing its movement over the wrapping mechanism,

the lug 8S at the end of the shaft 34 of the bunch-retaining device D will strike the cam 45 on the cam plate 8 and open the fingers 39 and 40, thus depositing the bunch or feeding the latter to the wrapping mechanism. This sequence of movements, or cycle of operation, of course continues for, as will be readily understood, in the assembled machine, the bunch carrier is so positioned relative to the conve-yer or traveling support for the bunches and the wrapping mechanism as to swing back and forth, moving into position relative to the conveyer to receive a bunch from the latter and to deliver a wrapped bunch or cigar thereto, and then moving to a position with respect to the wrapping mechanism to receive a wrapped bunch therefrom and to deliver an unwrapped bunch thereto. Consequently, the bunch-retaining device D should be opened at the time it receives the bunch and should be closed immediately thereafter and should be opened to deliver the bunch to the wrapping mechanism. This is accomplished by the cam arrangement on the cam plate heretofore described. Similarly, the cigar retaining device D which carries the wrapped being picked up and deposited by the fingers Y of its retaining device is guided and prevented from falling away by the swinging or rocking guide arm 2S, as before described. It will be noted that at each side of the center longitudinal line ofthe cam plate 3 is a pair of cam members, one member of each pair being to open one -of the retaining devices, while the other member of such pair is to close the other retaining device.

The general principles upon which-the bunch carrier operates will be readily understood from the above description, especially when taken in connection with the disclosure contained in Il. S. Letters Patent to Oluf Tyberg, No. 654,203 and No. 1,075,172, hereinbefore mentioned.

While I have herein shown and described one particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it t0 be understood that I do not limit myself to all the precise details of construction herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of l 2. In a cigar or cheroot machine, a traveling carrier movable in a path having a defined length, said carrier having a retain- Cil device .at predetermined times.

ing device for a tobacco roll, a member traveling with the carrier but moving in a path of relatively different defined length than the path of the carrier, means detachably connecting the carrier and the member, and means carried by said member for opening and closing the retaining device of the carrier at predetermined times.

3. In a cigar or cheroot machine, an oscillating carrier arm, a retaining device for a tobacco roll carried by said arm and an oscillating member moving with and beneath the carrier .arm and having means adapted to open and close the retaining device at predetermined times,

4:. In a cigar or cheroot machine, a swinging carrier arm, a retaining device Afor a tobacco roll carried by the carrier arm, a swinging member independent of and movable substaiitially in parallelism with the carrier arm, and means carried by said meniber for opening and closing the retaining device at predetermined times.

5. In a cigar or cheroot machine, the combination with a power shaft, of a swinging carrier arm connected with said shaft, a

swinging plate also mounted on the shaft independent of the carrier arm and adapted to swing substantially in parallelism with said carrier arm, cam members on said swinging late and a retaining device for a tobacco roll carried by the carrier arm and adapted to be opened and closed by the cam members.

6. In a cigar or cheroot machine. a hori- Zontally swinging carrier having a retaining device for a tobacco roll, and a horizontally swinging cam plate having cam members adapted to open and close the retaining described, a traveling carrier provided with a retaining device, actuating means movable with the traveling carrier to a limited degree for opening and closing the retaining device, a power element to which said traveling carrier and actuating means are loosely connected, and means for releasably connecting the traveling carrier in driven relation with the power element.

8i. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a power shaft, of a travcling carrier loosely mounted thereon, a retaining device supported on the carrier, a cam plate also loosely mounted on the power shaft and having cam members for opening and closing the 7. In a machine of the class retaining device, said cam late being movable with the carrier to a limited extent, and means detachably coni necting the carrier in driven relation with the power shaft.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a power shaft, of a carrier arm loosely mounted thereon, a retaining device on the carrier arm, a member also loosely mounted on the power shaft provided with cam members adapted to open and close the retaining device at predetermined times, and means for releasably connecting the carrier arm with the power shaft, and a yielding connection between t-he carrier arm and the cam carrying member.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a power shaft, of a swinging carrier arm loosely mounted thereon, a swinging plate also loosely mounted on the shaft and provided with cam meinbers, a retaining device carried by the carrier armA and adapted to be opened and closed by the cams, a connection between the carrier arm and the cam plate, and means for connecting the carrier arm to the power shaft whereby said carrier arm and cam plate may be moved by the shaft, said means being operable to release the carrier arm from driven relation with the shaft under certain conditions.

11. vIn a machine of the class described, the combination with a power shaft, of a carrier arm loosely mounted thereon, a plurality of retaining devices supported from the carrier arm, one retaining device being adapted to receive and discharge a bunch and the other retaining device being adapted to receive and discharge a wrapped cigar, means loosely mounted on the power sha t for independently actuating the retaining device, means connecting the carrier arm with the actuating means, and means fast with the power shaft and detachably engaging the carrier arm for releasably connecting suoli carrier arm with the power shaft.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a power shaft, of a carrier arm mounted to swing thereon, a plurality of retaining devices carried by the carrier arm, a cam plate also mounted on the power shaft and provided with a plurality of cams vfor independently operating the retaining devices at predetermined times, and means connecting the carrier arm with the cam plate.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a power shaft, of a cam plate mounted to swing thereon and provided with a plurality o cams, means for limiting the swinging movement of the cam plate in two directions, a carrier arm also loosely mounted on the shaft, a connection between the carrier arm and the cam plate, whereby bothl carrier arm and the cam plate may be moved together for a limited distance, the connection between the cam plate and the arm permitting further movement of the arm after the cam plate has been brought to a stop, a releasable connection between the power shaft and the carrier arnifr and a plurality of retaining devices carried dependently plate.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with an operating shaft, of a swinging cam plate thereon, means for limiting the swinging movement of the cam plate, a carrier arm also swinging on said shaft, means connecting the carrier arm with the cam plate and permitting further movement ofthe carrier arm after the cam plate has bcenvbrought to a stop, a retaining-device carried by the carrier arm, and means on thecam plate for operating the retaining device to grasp and release an article at predetermined times. i y

l5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a power element, of a traveling arm carried thereby and provided with a retaining device, an actuating inem` ber connected with said shaft adapted to operate the retaining device to receive and discharge an article, and a yieldable conby1 theY carrier arm and inoperable by the cams of the cam nection between the actuating member and the traveling arm, whereby said actuating member is caused to travel a limited distance with the traveling arm. i

16. In ania'chine of the class described, the combination with an operating shaft, of a traveling carrier loosely connected therewith provided with a retainingdevice for grasping, holding and discharging anarticle, and a connection between theshaft andthe traveling carrier operable when pressure is applied to the carrier to release the v*carrier from shaft.

17. In a machine of the class described, a traveling carrier, provided with a cigarretaining device and a bunch-retaining device, actuating means traveling with the carrier for opening and closing both the retaining devices, means for limiting the travel of the actuating means, and means driven relation with the constituting a connection between the'tyravelfV ing carrier and the actuating means adapted s to permit further movement of they carrier after the actuating means has been brought to a stop. s l

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a, traveling carrier, of a retaining device carried thereby, a movable guide cooperating with there'tainingv device and an actuating member movable with the traveling carrier for opening and closing the retaining device and for moving the guide into an-d out of guiding position relative to the retaining device at predetermined determined times, a connection between' the carrier arm and the caml plate whereby said cam plate will be caused to travel with the carrier arm a predetermined distance, said connection' including or comprising a stud, a plurality of pivoted bars between which the stud projects, and a spring connecting said bar, and stop members for limiting theVv travel of the cam plate, theconnection between the cam plate and the carrier arm permitting the further movement of the arm.

In testimony whereof I. have Vhereunto set my hand.

JOHN E. Nondimer i Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

a cam plate also loosely mounted on 

